Post-Marina theft, 10 phone snatchers held

The police nabbed the accused in places like T Nagar, Poonamallee, CMBT and Marina Beach and seized from them 45 cell phones, two two-wheelers and 3.5 sovereign gold. A special team of Pondy Bazaar police on Wednesday arrested two brothers for their involvement in a series of cell-phone and chain snatching incidents in T Nagar and thesurrounding areas in the last month. 

Thirty-five cell phones, a Pulsar bike and 3.5 sovereign gold were seized from them. The police nabbed them during a routine vehicle check at Seeranipuram junction. 

During interrogation, they were found to be the culprits behind a series of snatching and theft incidents including the ones in Dharmapuram and GN Chetty Roads reported on May 11 and 15 respectively. The two, identified as Imthias Ali (26) and Asif Ahmed of Gerugambakkam, has been sent to judicial custody. Five persons hailing from Andhra Pradesh were arrested in Koyambedu on Tuesday and seven mobile phones were seized from them. 

Police said that a special team on patrol at the bus terminus found the group of youngsters moving suspiciously and who gave contradicting replies when interrogated. Police found out that the group had been involved in cell phone snatching by diverting the attention of passengers arriving at the bus terminus. The accused, identified as Venkatesh, Suppan, Sayan Ramesh, Sendhu and Akhil, have been arrested. 

In another incident, public chased and caught a cell phone snatcher when he attempted to flee with the mobile phone of an Armed Reserve personnel at the Marina Beach late on Tuesday night. It is said that Veeramanigandapazhani (26), an Armed Reserve personnel posted as a guard at the US Embassy, was talking to his friends at the Marina Beach after returning from duty, when a youngster, identified as Sumesh (22) snatched his mobile phone and tried to flee the spot. 

However, on hearing the shouts of the Armed Personnel, passersby chased and caught the accused. Marina police have arrested Sumesh and remanded him. Meanwhile, the Poonamallee police arrested two persons in the wee hours of Wednesday when they attempted to run away after snatching two phones including an iPhone and Rs 1,500 in cash from a passenger who arrived from Bengaluru. The accused Vignesh Raj (20) and Dinesh Kumar from Tirumazhisai were remanded in judicial custody  while a third accused remains at large.